44 Nights in Bliss
by Dragonmorph
Summary: Elizabeta was just a farmer's daughter. Roderich was a noble's son. When Elizabeta was cursed by an evil sorcerer into a form of a man, he sets out to find a cure. It's simple really: true love's kiss. What if he was in love with Roderich, but the nobleman was only attracted to women? It would make things interesting for a woman-turned-man to woo another. Nyotalia! AU. AusHun.
1. Chapter 1

**I always wanted to try a serious Hetalian story. I honestly have no clue why I chose the romance/fairy-tale genre but perhaps this will fun. I hope it's not cliché or copying – it took forever to think of something with this theme without mimicking my favorite stories. It eventually settled on this. It reminds me of a few stories people wrote on here as well as the stories involving true love's kiss, shape-shifting princes and blahblahblah.**

**I almost did PruHun, but I changed my mind and went towards AusHun. AusHun is my OTP and head-cannon concludes Austria is a heterosexual in spite of those lovely yaoi pairings with him. I just see him better as a hetero but he probably had some times where he gave in to boyxboy love.**

**It does say Nyotalia, but it only goes for one character. I honestly do not know how to do a decent Mangary portrayal so bear with me! I view him, as others do too – first, that he's a bit like Poland with cross-dressing though he's more feminine. **

**Why 44? 1870 – 1914 aka 44 years these two were together! The social status difference adds to the story when Hungary was Austria's servant.**

**Warnings: Slight Yaoi (Mangary x Austria attempts). Don't like? Don't read. I may bump up the rating to T in later chapters for more mature references and cursing if Romano magically appears in the picture.**

**R&R?**

44 Nights in Bliss

He dug his hands into the dirt and felt the corpse of another failing seed. It was not the first time he was frustrated at himself. It was one of those many times actually where he wanted to bellow his rage like an angry bull stuck by a sword. It was pain he felt and the metaphorical sword revealed itself harshly and purred at the feeling of being used. If it had an owner, it was the corrupting noblemen of the time.

The farmer did not have much strength left in him as he left his high prime long ago. Surprisingly, he still had the ability to move the old bay mare that stubbornly pinned her ears back and moved forward. She often sniffed at the dirt, but he had to shoo her away until he was positive the crops were not going to grow anytime soon. He knelt on the other side of the land and the felt the sandiness of the soil through his fingers.

_The soil was bad. _The farmer cursed his bad luck and slowly got back up. His spine rattled under his attempt and sent signs and gave him pain within a few seconds. He huffed indignantly, but he didn't want to show weakness. The noble he worked for could see and send his daughter to another family.

The thought sent his eyes wide open and he gasped at the possibilities if the man saw his beloved daughter. She was only eight years old, but her beauty was already starting to blossom. She had shoulder-length, light brown hair often in a poorly done ponytail, slightly tanned skin though still light and glittering green eyes the color of the freshest grass. She was bound to grow a bit more when she reached adolescence. Until then, she remained small but she had a loud bark for a sweet little girl.

He was slowly getting old, but he never forgot the greatest day of his life:

_A young woman masked herself in a blue leather cloak, concealing her face, but some strands of blonde hair hung out – an autumn feeling seemed to be added to her. She suddenly appeared with a bundle on her hands and stared longingly at the blanket curled like a cocoon until the farmer, from his living room, noticed a small hand reaching out. He came to the door and she gave him to her – without words exchanged or the faces full of a comprehending expression shown. _

_He held the child in his hands while she left; his mouth opened a little with shock. He opened the blanket wrapped around the babe and saw an angel-faced child squirming uncomfortably in his awkward cradling. The girl already sprouted light-brown hair, but her eyes were squinted shut and her light brows furrowed as if she was in a bad dream._

_He had to laugh, but he didn't want to disturb the child and interrupt the cries. He was never familiar much with any young one as his late wife passed. The news disturbed both of them when they were still young: The farmer's wife miscarried and she eventually drowned in her sorrow. She lived for a while in his presence and he kept her from suicide, but the doctor passed the news ten years ago. His beloved passed from a heart attack. _

_The farmer nearly cried from the memory, but he tried to sing in spite of the off-key voice he was given. He cheered himself up and the child stopped whimpering, the eye lids now revealing curious green eyes. _Like my wife_, he thought. _My beloved Elizabeth.

"_So you're a girl child?" He asked, not expecting an answer. "I see. I'll name you Elizabeta."_

The mare nudged at the man and the back pain slowly subsided enough he could put his tools and gloves away in the tool shed. He didn't have any neighbors or anyone else so he had to retire early so Elizabeta didn't worry.

He wandered into the house after doing his chores and felt something attached to his leg. He blinked, confused and surprised, but eventually caught on and smiled warmly at the girl hugging his leg.

"Papa!" She chirped. "Is it true I'm going to get a horsie?"

The farmer chuckled as his daughter was often eager to get to the point. "Ah, my little Beta. I thought I hid that secret well until your birthday."

She cocked her head, and caught on to the joke to he made. "But, papa!" She whined. "Two months is too long."

"Special things happen to little girls who wait patiently." He winked, rubbing the top of her head.

She mumbled about life being unfair, but looked innocently at her father. She decided she would wait for the horse, but secretly, she wanted to go find him or her.

"Yes, papa." She replied casually. Mentally, her mind planned out the next day.

…

"Gil, are you sure you want to join in?" Elizabeta asked.

The albino's red eyes gleamed mischievously towards his friend. "Of course! I always wanted an adventure with some risks involved."

"No, Gil. It's not going to be THAT risky."

"Why not?" Gil whined. "It will be fun to stay stealthy."

Elizabeta found it hard to argue with her friend so she agreed.

The two kids dropped low from the adults' vision and moved past them without a single head turning their direction. Gil already moved up ahead, but the girl strained her ears to hear the conversation the adults suddenly whispered in fear she and the albino boy would hear.

"My friend! How is life treating you?" Gil's father spoke with a gleam in his brown eyes. She could tell where Gil got his enthusiasm,

"Not well." Her father replied bitterly. "The noble is coming soon. I'm still in debt."

The man nodded sadly. "I hope he goes easy on you. The weather has been terrible this year."

"Aye. I wish things are easy."

"We all do." A thick voice mocked.

The two men turned their heads with wide eyes towards the newcomer who only smiled dryly back at them. He wore fine silk clothing and he was well-groomed. Elizabeta thought he looked rather too clean for anyone's tastes so why choose to wear it?

"Mr. Edelstein." The farmer murmured.

"Héderváry." Mr. Edelstein said. "I know you're very excited to see me. Have you worked on your debt since we've last met?"

"I've been working the best I can…"

The nobleman raised a brow questionably. "So, I take it you still can't pay for the farm."

"I'll work on it." The farmer gritted his teeth. "I just need more time!"

"Enough." The reply came emotionless. "You have a day to pack and leave."

Mr. Edelstein winked, and slowly walked off as if nothing ever happened.

"Papa! We aren't leaving, are we?" Elizabeta cried out, but immediately her palms went to her mouth as she realized her error.

The noble turned around with sudden surprise it freaked her out – especially when he approached and gripped tightly on the collar of her shirt. "Well, well. You never told me you had a lovely daughter."

"Let go of me!" Elizabeta muttered, thrashing about hopelessly.

"Please, sir. She's my daughter." The farmer trembled as he approached the noble.

Mr. Edelstein grinned malevolently. "You have a lovely daughter. It's a shame you treated her with these ratty clothes."

"We lived in poverty." He defended.

"I'll drop the debt if your daughter becomes part of the payment." The noble said, eyeing the girl who scowled at him in return.

The farmer shook his head. "I'll never sell my daughter. Not even for the whole world."

He scoffed. "Very well. Pack up and say your good-byes."

…

Gil watched as his only friend sat on the little bay mare. He had made and lost a friend all in a year, and learned she was a female within a few months of their friendship. He still felt his cheeks redden, but he clearly did not know why. Perhaps it was shame or embarrassment of the girl sassing him because he said something wrong or something.

He wasn't a neighbor – more of a business owner's son who helped with the finances Elizabeta's father had to endure. It was a miracle his father brought two children up and thus, they ended up together. As friends they remained and he prayed to whoever heard it he'll see her again in the future.

They would be children forever and they would be friends. He believed it with his heart and the iron cross he used as a pendant. The girl never questioned nor treated his beliefs with rudeness. She was openly curious, but blatantly honest when she was angered. He never met a girl who wasn't afraid to raise her fists towards him, but he knew the drill: girls had cooties and gentlemen never fight.

_Gentlemen._ The idea made him scoff at the idea. He seen enough noble-children to see they are a bunch of silly wannabes. They do not have the ability to work or be grateful for the clothes and food their parents worked their butts off to get them something to live for.

Elizabeta and her father were an odd pair, but he was grateful for meeting them. She was going to live in the city so he knew life would be tough for her. However, she was tough and he already smirked at the idea she would be showing the city boys who is the boss.

The Mr. Edelstein man was just a bug; something annoying and dreadful, but definitely not someone who would contribute to the downfall of this family.

* * *

**This was mostly a background to the plot, but hey, I can't help it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the quick love to the story~ Just a few more things to introduce the characters then we'll get into the action. I love Austria because he's a piano-playing nagger of doom. He appeals to me as a bit annoying to some nations, but kind to Hungary. The Chibitalia segment makes it sound like he's a bit more rude when he was a teen, but I'm not too sure on how he acted as a child. I'll take a big guess~  
**

**Speaking of children, I try to make the younger versions of the duo seem a bit more childish so it keeps the 'realistic' feel. I'm sorry if I failed or butchered the dialogue.  
**

44 Nights in Bliss

"Beta, try not to stray." The farmer pleaded.

He was well aware of his rambunctious daughter who recently moved to the big city with her father. He needed a job and the debt piled knee-deep at the rate and bad luck he had been receiving. Poverty was also something he wished to drop low on his list of concerns while it battled with his care for Elizabeta.

The offer Mr. Edelstein made for his daughter made him question the man. Did he plan on using her as a servant or did he have a snotty heir who would take pride in ruining her pride? The questions lingered, but it wasn't as big of a deal since a month ago. He was currently on the streets where the vendors bustled with people investigating the food.

Elizabeta was still too young to be left alone and she still had yet to be signed into the elementary school for kids her age. He wanted her to make some friends, but the stubbornness lead to tantrums and crying. The neighbors sought to rid of the noise by sending death glares their way. After all, the apartments were not sanitary nor the walls blocked the sound. All the rooms surrounding this father and daughter woke them with the racket the neighbors made. It was not much use trying to calm the noise down, but they eventually adjusted to it. It was different than the peaceful life on the farm.

He was new to parenting – it was apparent by the businessman, father of Gilbert , who saw him struggle with the little girl. He was thankful for his help and he found parenthood at his advanced age very intriguing. His daughter was still too immature to figure out why her father seemed strange, but she loved him nonetheless. It warmed his heart very much. Since he finally broke through the barrier behind Elizabeta's screaming, he quickly noticed she was homesick and missed the boy she caused trouble with.

_He would've made a fine husband. _He thought with a smile. The boy was strange compared to his father's long blonde hair and icy blue eyes. He never questioned Gilbert's mother either, but the boy was well bred and a good man.

The farmer often teased his young daughter about marrying him, but she giggled and claimed he had "cooties." He'd prefer she thought of that for a long while and even after she hits puberty. He began to dread over the suitors feigning politeness just to get near his little girl. He shook the thought off. She still had time to grow up and so did he.

She loved to explore and it often worried him she would wander too far and be lost forever. He kept her near a lot of the time, but she was a curious one. The girl wandered far into the market, and the farmer nearly charged after her.

"Sir," The man, selling the fruit to him, spoke impatiently. "Aren't you going to buy the fruit?"

"Yes, I am." The farmer replied, his face paling at the slowness of this merchant.

"Almost got the price down..."

_Hurry. Hurry Hurry._ "Will 5 euros work?"

The man nodded and they exchanged.

"Thank you for your service."

"Mhm, thank you." He replied rapidly and gazed upon the city for his daughter.

He already lost his 8 year old daughter all because he needed to buy fruit.

...

Elizabeta was bored.

She had to follow her father to buy goods from the city. She loved her father, but the lifestyle she had been forced to follow now was a dread. The apartment was filthy and crawled with vermin and bugs. The noise the others made was not an exciting thing to eavesdrop on either. She was told not to eavesdrop, but she cannot help herself. She hoped they would know why she had to move away from her home, lose the bay mare and be separated from Gil. Life wasn't fair.

Her mind worked in many ways when she noticed her father hardly laid an eye on her ever since he bargained, as they called it, with the other man. She learned to tell who is who because there were a variety of people who spoke strangely and their words became garbled. She took in the strange smell - which wasn't pleasant- and walked off after she knew the coast was clear.

The adults towered over her and ignored the girl wearing nothing but pants and a shirt. Some referred to her as a small street boy, whatever that was, but she hardly took notice of those mistaking her identity. It made it easier to avoid most dirty-minded folk looking for women in particular, but it also had some consequences. She was fortunate to avoid any gangs lurking around where she ended up traveling to.

She didn't know where she ended up, but the people looked a lot more meaner the nicer the environment looked. On the contrary, the poor were not too pleasant either while in the unsanitary homes. No matter, she was too curious and glanced at everything while her legs were on automatic. The people spoke to their friends, but what could go wrong?

Something hard bumped into her and it was not something peopel would like - having their breath knocked out of them.

"Watch where you're going, street boy."

Elizabeta flinched at the anger in the voice sounding like she had been caught in a crime. "I..."

"I thought you people were taught manners?" The voice continued. "Am I wrong?"

She mustered enough courage to look up and noticed the boy looked about her age and height, though just a smidgen taller. He had peculiar purple eyes like Gil had red eyes. However, this boy had chocolate-brown hair with a strand sticking up despite well combed and groomed he looked. The clothes he wore and the way he looked in general told of his status. He had a cocky look on his face while his foot stamped impatiently.

The look on his face morphed into pure surprise. "Y-You're a girl." He said, speaking what she figured was German.

"Yes, I am a girl." She made a face. "How couldn't anyone tell?"

"Tell what?" He made a small "o" with his mouth and his face went a bit more serious. "It was hard to tell with the clothes you're wearing. I don't think it gives you the right to be impolite to anyone though - boy or girl."

"Well, I'm sorry for bumping into you." She replied kindly.

"It's fine." He said. His eyes darted around, and he shrugged at those watching them. "Father disapproves of me hanging around the poor. I don't see anything wrong with you though."

"Gee, thanks?" She mumbled.

She honestly did not know how to act. Gil told her to stay away from the nobles and here she was talking to a strange boy who didn't even cringe after what had happened. She almost had a mental laugh in her thoughts recalling breaking the rules. She kept her promise of finding the albino boy with his wild, white locks and unusual red eyes. He was unique to her and she liked him for that.

The wind carried her father's urgent voice summoning her to him. She turned her head and saw his shadow leaning against the wall. She often called him old, but sometimes she wondered if her teasing had some effect on him.

The boy raised a brow, and his arms were folded. "Grandfather?" He asked.

"No, he's my father." She said, clearly offended.

He put up his arms in surrender. "I don't know much about you or the others so if he's your father, he's your father."

She sent him another glare and then faced where her father stood. Her gaze turned upon the German boy before she turned her back on him and ran off. She fell deep into her father's arms and an exchange of strange words unknown to the boy were audibly said within hearing distance. Something gave the mood an idea they were happy and smiling. They both disappeared into the light shortly after their reunion.

...

Roderich never seen such a strange girl before. What was her name again? _Elizabeta._

It rolled off his tongue quite nicely, but he wasn't sure why.

...

Elizabeta received her scolding, but she knew her father hesitated to do anything physical. She heard the verbal lecture and it was a punishment in her eyes enough as it was. She squirmed with the urge to play outside. Her father finished the last of his sentences and winked at her - a sign she could go run off without doing something such as running off again.

She was already psyched for her first day of school tomorrow. She was also a little nervous too. She was in home-school most of her life so the thought of public school systems made her wonder how others react in a room filled in various kids. How could an adult rally a group of many? Questions surged through her mind and she grew more excited and scared at the reactions she'll get as the new person in town. She seen the schools on the outside once and she one worrying idea left her gut. No nobles would be stuck with her and she preferred it that way. _Manners, smanners._ She shrugged off the idea of acting appropriately as the noble boy expected her to do.

It was all she heard from by anyone. She was told to wear a dress and let her brown ringlets fall on her shoulders. She had to remain clean the best she could and eat properly. She wanted to keep her hair tied up because the wind currents often shifted her long bangs into her face. She liked to wear a shirt and pants so she could run and be disguised as a boy. She didn't know why they asked her, but she defied the best she could. It just wasn't in her nature to be a girl or a woman.

She left the home but she had to persuade her father she wouldn't do anything crazy. She didn't plan on what was going to happen next. She was surprised he actually gave in to her argument and she gotten farther than she had expected. A flicker of a memory flashed before her eyes where she saw the bay mare, Chata, who rolled in the mud without guilt in her big brown eyes. A pond similar to the flashback appeared on the other side of the street. When everything appeared to be cleared of people and carriages, she paced herself across and laid next to it.

She dug through the pond of mud and she left the solid-liquid seep through the cracks between each of her fingers. She couldn't see her own reflection, but she hardly bothered to check. The mud reminded her of home where she once lived. She deeply missed it, but when the strange man who grabbed her came, everything turned upside down for her. The brown reminded her of the dirt when it reacted with water on a rainy day. She and Gil slid all across on the slippery form and had to clean up afterwards with a freezing cold bath.

She beamed at the memory, but it wasn't long until her face turned confused and embarrassed at the familiar face on the other side of the mud pond.

"As I have confirmed, you live here and your mud is your friend."

Elizabeta stifled a giggle at the boy who seemed awkward by her concept of mud. "I have a friend, but he isn't here."

"I see." He nodded, understanding she meant something or someone else. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the other side of the city. "This place looks mildly sad."

She nodded without hesitation. She didn't know how to tell this stranger about city life here.

"What is life here for those in poverty?" He suddenly asked.

"I... Poverty?" She was startled by his question, but also the word he used.

"Poverty. It means to be poor." He clarified to her.

"Oh." She looked embarrassed. "Well... The place reeks of trash and it's every man for himself when money is flown freely across the street."

The boy narrowed his brows, but he asked for no more information. Elizabeta wondered why he asked and who he was.

"What is your name?" She innocently asked.

She didn't know what happened, but the purple eyes showing calmness burnt to a crisp color. It slowly subsided and he finally spoke. "Roderich. I prefer to leave it at that."

"Roderich." She echoed. Something sounded familiar about that name, but she left the topic alone.

Roderich smiled, but it held a small amount of friendliness. "You're Elizabeta. Am I right?"

She gaped when he said her name outright, but nodded as it was the name she was given at birth.

"You probably wondered how I knew." He answered the question in her mind. "I simply have that ability to hear from long distances. I know I shouldn't have interest in meeting a girl like you, Elizabeta, but something made me rather curious."

Elizabeta didn't quite follow what he was trying to point out. "What do you mean? I thought nobles avoided people like us."

"We can, but they do not want to be looked down upon for talking. It's complicated." He turned his gaze upon the sky. "The weather is beautiful, but I never been for going outdoors."

"The outdoors always manages to shed some light on this world. I sometimes wish I could be myself without dealing with all these complications of being a girl."

Roderich gave a funny look. "I do like girls. They're interesting and they do not expect you to act macho. I wish some boys would understand my way too."

She nearly opened her mouth, but she narrowed her brows at the man she already begun to despise.

"It's my father..." He mumbled unhappily. "I better go."

Elizabeta watched the boy go. He was at a solid distance away from her, but now he was even farther away. She didn't know how to react. Roderich was a noble who didn't mind losing some status to talk to her and his father was the reason she was dumped into this city life.

...

She finally went home before the sun descended beneath the world where the nightmare resided. Sometimes she wondered what the nightmare would be like, but her religious ways led her to believe it was a horrid place to go.

She didn't know what a living nightmare could be either, but already her hands fumbled for the wall where it would wake the neighbors. An elderly woman happened to be passing by through the stairs and Elizabeta immediately flagged her down.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked.

Elizabeta trembled with confusion and fear. She hardly lowered to her current state, but she used a child-like voice while it stuttered with the urge to cry.

"Something's wrong with papa."

* * *

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

* * *

**Oh, cliff-hangers. How we love thee!  
**

******I hope the quick switch to the present doesn't upset anyone.** It could be a looong story if I do not get to the real part of the plot so le timeskip may seem choppy. Also, sorry if I get the prices for euros wrong ^_^; I'm American so I'm following dollars and the city history.  



	3. Chapter 3

**I know I'm probably not going to get any answers, but anyone want Hungary to have a buddy? I could choose Prussia and have him oblivious to Mangary. Feel free to message me an idea or review. I'll give credit for the idea or ideas. I already have a few ideas, but I'm just thinking it through first.**

**I felt like adding two new characters and I'm sorry if I get their personality wrong. I just wanted to add something cannon between Hungary and another nation besides the lurve of Austria-Hungary.**

44 Nights in Bliss

She gave him her promise. It was a long, pain-stalking work for her, but she managed to make it work.

Her father fell into care, but she knew he wasn't going to last for a while. She wanted the old farmer to live a bit more comfortable in a stable home without the torturous ways in the apartments. The way, she remembered quite clearly, was not pleasant. She often grew envious of the nobles who never had to worry about any of the diseases that could spread from floor to floor.

It wasn't a disease he caught, but his heart nearly gave out from all the stress. She was still young and able it hardly went through her mind what could happen. She grew more aware of his condition. Especially now. She visited when she was off work and cooed to him like a mother to her child. She told him about her day - her good times, rants, and fears. He nodded and she knew he understood. It was the best she could fetch: acknowledgement. It was something she could live off of.

It was many years since she was the little girl who played in the mud. She grew up and became an interesting woman who acted more tomboyish than any other girl her age. She was a young adult now, but sometimes she felt like a child at times. Ten long years she had worked and for half of it; she passed through household to household trying to get a job. She learned from her mistakes as well as new perks in doing her job quicker, but still efficiently.

She nearly gave up until some miracle came upon her: a wealthy man who needed a housekeeper. She made an accidental meeting when she was only twelve years old and still under foster care. He only looked at her as a boy who delivered mail, but he was taken aback seeing the eighteen year old turn out to be a woman. He developed interest in her after seeing how she worked with children. He immediately called her up and they agreed to meet at his house.

Mr. Zwingli was not always a happy man and he was known to scare kids who played on his lawn. He had a large collection of guns (which Elizabeta found out later on, but the man closed his cabinet with a territorial look) but he hardly pulled them out unless to intimidate a business man or to remove the dust it caught. He offered her a job for a good fee during the times though the future maid made a face at the offer. However, she was desperate and her life of poverty never made her think twice about accepting the man's offer.

She was instantly greeted by a young girl a few years younger than her when he invited her to his home. She immediately gawked at the exquisite sight where everything was neat and tidy - large building too. She managed to drop her eyes towards the girl who resembled Mr. Zwingli. The girl had large green eyes (that could stare into your soul if you wanted to go there) and cropped blonde hair which covered her ears and stopped there. Elizabeta took interest in the lovely bow in her hair; a symbol of nobility for little girls.

She knelt under her face measured towards the other person who shyly looked towards her father. The man who had a stern look the entire carriage ride home had a gentle look now as he nodded his approval of this strange woman.

Elizabeta knew the girl was inspecting her as a friend or step-mother. She prayed it was merely just a job cleaning this massive house.

"P-Papa..." The girl murmured audibly.

"It's okay, Lilli. She'll be our temporary housekeeper. Lilli, meet Ms. Elizabeta. Ms. Elizabeta, meet my pride and joy, Lilli." Mr. Zwingli said, coughing nervously.

Elizabeta gave a small smile. "Hello, Lilli. You can call me Lizzie if you want to."

Lilli gazed at the young adult, her face reddening with timidness and awe. "O...kay."

The maid turned and noticed the man gesturing for her to enter another room filled with prettiness. She had a better grip on focusing her face on his once-again serious look which held not one drop of kindness.

"I assure you will be living safely here if nobody hears about this." Mr. Zwingli spoke, with a light threat.

Elizabeta nodded. She needed the job and the man somewhat frightened her. "My lips are sealed." She swore.

He gave a smile, but it was not a warm one. "Call me Basch, Elizabeta."

...

It was the evening and Elizabeta found herself in the guest room. She tried to modestly deny some household comfort, but Basch wouldn't hear her say "no." The bickering lasted for only a few minutes and she gave in to his reasoning. The night gown she wore was an old one, but it wasn't too shabby. She felt almost comfortable...at ease even.

She opened up the mattress after folding the corner of the blanket, but a sound of footsteps echoed across the hallway. She whirled out defensively to hope it wasn't someone bad - a habit the girl developed due to the thieves that lurked about at night- but only a small girl peered in with her wide green eyes full of fear. Elizabeta lowered her arms and humbled towards the noble girl with apologizing words.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that." Elizabeta said, gesturing her welcoming to the room.

Lilli nodded, shaking nervously. "It's fine." She murmured, entering the guest room. "Papa's too busy to read me a story."

"Would you like me to read you one? It's probably a part of my job here to entertain."

"I'd love that, Lizzie." Lilli's face lit up.

The maid sat on the edge of her bed and thought deeply of a story which is child-appropriate. "How about I tell you a story about a prince and princess?"

"A prince and princess. Will it have an evil sorcerer?"

"Why yes! An evil sorcerer who was jealous of the prince."

"How can a sorcerer be jealous of another man?"

Elizabeta pondered for a moment and smiled. "Good question. People believed the sorcerer was a male, but what if he was actually a woman?"

"I thought women were good." Lilli blinked innocently.

"Some people are just born without some kind of kindness." She hesitated. "So, the sorcerer wanted to marry the prince, but he refused to marry her."

"The sorcerer's a meanie anyway."

"Exactly." A smile formed on Elizabeta's lips. "The sorcerer had a wicked heart though and cursed the prince into a frog."

Lilli gasped. "R-Really?"

"Yes. He had to live outside in the ponds, but he managed to do so." _But the bright side of things made him think about taking life for granted._

"Will he ever return back to normal?"

"Yes, he will." Lizzie promised. "One day, a princess happened to walk by his pond for something to drink.

She was oblivious to talking animals so it surprised her when she heard a voice from out of nowhere:

'Hello, beautiful one.' The frog said. He looked up towards the shocked face of a female.

'W-Why is this frog talking to me?' The princess mumbled. 'It's probably this water!'

'No-no-no-no! My water isn't contaminated...I'm getting off-topic. You see, princess, I've been waiting someone like you to give me true love's kiss.' "

Lilli giggled at the voice-overs for the story. "True love's kiss?" She asked curiously.

"Yes. True love's kiss is the most powerful thing in the world."

"I see you girls are having a bit of fun." Basch leaned against the rim of the door. He wasn't smiling nor frowning, but his lips were pursed into a straight line.

"Yes, papa! Elizabeta told me a story about a frog prince!"

"I see," Basch murmured. "You should hop on to bed, Lilli."

The girl wanted to stay, but she obeyed her father and went to her own room.

Elizabeta gave a small smile. "I hope it was alright to tell your daughter a story."

The man did not reply for a long moment, but he eventually broke the silence and sighed. "I'm not bothered by it. I just noticed how it was just the first day and Lilli's already in love with you. I knew I made the right choice when I saw the littler you."

"Why me though?" She asked.

"Something just clicked. I don't know what though. I just thought: 'This Hungarian boy seems to have some kind of potential.'" He looked curiously. "You probably wondered how I figured you out. As much as this place is multi-cultural, I noticed more Austrians and Hungarians in these parts. I'm basically a Swiss so I do not fit in quite well despite my status."

"Why did you move here?" She nearly regretted her mistake when Basch's eyes burnt up.

The fire died down. "I needed to raise Lilli in a better environment. This place isn't much, but it is better than the dump we both been in. It's complicated."

Elizabeta nodded and understood what he had meant. It was different from her story, but each their own, everyone had some explanation of living in the city.

"Elizabeta..."

"Yes, Basch?" She replied, tilting her head.

"I have a good feeling Lilli will not sleep until she hears the rest of the story." He turned away, feeling embarrassed by showing his soft side with a stranger.

She put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "I'll tell _you_ so _you_ can tell her."

Basch opened his mouth to protest, but he realized why she wanted him to tell his daughter the story. "Fine, go ahead."

"The Frog Prince persuaded the princess to take her to her kingdom. Her parents were fascinated by the talking frog and they often conversed many times which annoyed the princess. She eventually couldn't take the frog hoarding all the attention so she ran away and a monster captured the vulnerable girl. The frog heard about the news and hopped all the way towards the tower where a massive dragon guarded it and there, the princess screamed for someone to help her. Now, the frog was a clever one and he managed to distract the dragon away, making him think he forgot to get ingredients for princess stew.

The frog reached the top of the tower and freed the princess. She valued her life and found a new light when the frog actually came to save her without asking for anything in return. When they returned home, the royal family showered him with riches but the frog was not entirely happy.

'What's wrong, Mr. Frog? Haven't you gained everything a person would envy?'

'Your kind reward is too kind,' replied the frog. 'However, could I ask for one thing?'

'Yes! Anything.'

'Kiss me, princess.'

The princess was surprised by the request, but she did it anyway and he magically transformed into a handsome prince. He later explained the curse cast upon him by an evil witch and he needed true love's kiss to free him. Since it turned out they were made for each other they lived happily ever after."

Basch's green eyes widened with genuine interest. Never before had he heard such a story like this one. "You impress me, Elizabeta. I hope you don't mind me sharing it with my daughter." He got up and closed in on the door nearby.

"No, I don't mind at all." Elizabeta smiled, waving at the master and tucked herself into bed.

She made a face. What was she thinking? True love's kiss only existed in fairy tales. So does magic and talking animals. She would never find her handsome prince at the rate she was going. She was content with the comfort of a bed though and dreamed of a man who would be her husband.

...

Basch didn't know why he trusted this young woman. It took him a moment to realize she reminded him of his wife with her green eyes and dark brown hair. The girl practically had a lighter shade, and rougher features.

He sighed as he paced down the hall.

Why can't true love be real?

* * *

**I decided to add a bit of foreshadowing there. I figured Switzerland wouldn't get the story since it is German after all.**


	4. Chapter 4

**What do you call a fish with no eyes?**

**A fsh.**

44 Nights in Bliss

Here she was: An eighteen year old woman carrying buckets of water and cloths up the stairs. She had been doing it for a month now with breaks for other jobs and leisurely time, but her main job consisted of cleaning. She occasionally came and visited the master's daughter as they remained hidden in doing small things when Elizabeta had to do chores involving the girl herself. She obliged on matters she disliked such as the constant nagging for the mood, health, education, and so forth returned in messages to Basch. Lilli knew the older girl wasn't happy, but she always beamed when she got the brunette to even twitch one lip into a smile.

Elizabeta found the payment more than gratifying, but she nearly protested in all her honesty over how it could bring her father into better care if he managed to make it even further. Basch handed her the fee for her first month and she gawked, but the master reminded her to rest before working again. The thought made her homesick and worried for the elderly man as her mind wasn't so innocent anymore on the topic of age. Heck, she hardly believed herself to be growing up ever since the first sign of becoming a woman became apparent to her. All the ideas of becoming the rich princess was only temporary as she remembered why she began work in the first place.

She returned to her room and studied the outside world which she left long ago for the indoor life. A deep memory sighed within her mind as she recalled the familiar's boys words and her own:

_"The weather is beautiful, but I never been for going outdoors."_

_"The outdoors always manages to shed some light on this world. I sometimes wish I could be myself without dealing with all these complications of being a girl."_

_"I do like girls. They're interesting and they do not expect you to act macho. I wish some boys would understand my way too."_

She looked down at her own hands and felt slightly embarrassed for how rough they had gotten. They were once small and slender, but her child's play and chores gave her some unusual muscle in her arms. She slowly rubbed a free hands across her skin and felt how unladylike it would seem to a noblewoman. Back then, she still had the aura of turning the stuck-up away from her visuals but the boy hardly minded but she wondered why he wanted to be strong. His arms were still young, but they were thin. Imagining him with larger arms such as the brawlers on the street made her cheeks burn.

_This is silly_, She thought. _Me? In love with the fool's offspring? _

Her body trapped in its trance snapped out and flinched as quickly as her eyes which darted around. It was almost hard to bear staring back with her green ones towards the sterner version glued into a man's head from birth. She panicked and the mop in her grip enchanted her arms to move across the floor by itself. She wasn't sure why, but she couldn't defy anything.

Basch gave a small grin with only a small glint of amusement. "Are you trying to slack off, Miss Elizabeta?"

"No, sir." Elizabeta replied meekly. It was rare when she actually showed weakness, but she obliged to her despising moment. "I was-"

"It's all good. Could you go out to the marketplace and pickup these things on the list." He interrupted, handing the girl a list. "After that, I'll let you off for the day."

"Yes, sir."

Basch nodded. "Excellent. If you need some protection, Eigar is out in the back."

Elizabeta gave her frequent oaths and promises to be careful and wandered outside to greet the wind as she did once in awhile. She found it strange when the weather was unusually hot and the wind didn't add to cool off those outside. The maid's outfit she wore was light so it didn't affect her in the heat. Instinctively, she raised a hand over her brow to shade her eyes and vision as she looked around for one of the three goats.

Eigar was happily nibbling on the grass while his friends bleated at the sight of the girl. He raised his head and trotted over, sniffing the rim of the dress and tilted his head as if he was asking if there was any treats for him.

Elizabeta shook her head. "I'm sorry, Eigar. I do not have any food on me."

The goat looked disappointed, but he was fairly intelligent enough to know he could go outside with the girl he had met only a few times in a month.  
He bleated his approval and the woman smiled.

She snorted at the idea this Swiss man kept three happy goats in his backyard. They fed on many things and it appeared to be true when one of them had a piece of tin stuck in their beard. She removed it when Eigar tried to remove it himself and it slowly started the bond between them - yes, the goat snapped at her but nothing terrible came of the lovely hand or face. He wasn't used to beard contact. Soon, it became obvious to her he was the leader and "guard-dog" of the bunch when Eigar decided he wanted to accompany Lilli around when Basch wasn't able to keep watch.

Now, Eigar decided to do the same for Elizabeta.

Elizabeta traveled deep into the city with the list held up so the goat didn't treat it as the treat he never gotten. He was never in a bad mood, but she noticed how he shifted about nervously and bleated at everyone man who walked by. Nobody was flirting or sending unnecessary looks towards her, but she couldn't help but discover the anxiety in the goat's behavior once they had reached the marketplace.

Many people were huddled around a large wooden stage with a flowing red curtain hiding the actual show. She was small, but it didn't affect her ability to peer over the taller people in the front. There, she saw a man magically appear out of nowhere. Everyone's eyes enlarged with pure awe and so did her own. The effects were realistic with the smoke fading away to reveal the man in a large coat a deep shade of green. He had his face slightly hidden, but his blonde hair was neatly seen and his orange eyes glowed faintly. She never knew people could develop more than the chewing teeth with his one fang.

He showed various tricks which started out simple where his thumb disappeared. Everyone stared dumbly with confusion. Some murmured he used magic to remove his own thumb, but the world they lived in - magic sounded silly and unrealistic. He brought up a volunteer: a lovely woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. He gave a gentle nudge into a box and when he opened it again, she disappeared! He closed it and opened revealing a dazed girl walking out and catching her balance.

Many cheered at the tricks he did and it lasted for a few hours until something warm and liquid drenched her hand. Elizabeta was engaged in the show she had forgotten to return home. Her face was horrified and apologized to Eigar who tugged nervously at her dress. The crowd already stacked out behind her and as she squeezed through the small path, she noticed how many were stricken with awe it hardly bothered them if she stepped on a bare foot. Enchantment? The idea was possible considering the ways the man used. Something felt wrong though - really wrong as she broke through the trap and ran home with a goat in tow.

She took a moment to breathe and catch her breath while a few miles away. She didn't know how to excuse herself from being foolish, but there wasn't anything she could do. She made a mistake by remaining there and possibly worried more than Basch for his goat. Lilli often visited her at this time, but would her father remind her it will be fine? Why did it matter? She was a farmer's daughter and nothing more.

The worrying and fear overwhelmed her enough she didn't notice the magic man standing right next to her.

"Why does a princess like you cry?" He spoke slyly.

She turned her head towards the Romanian accent he used and was easier to understand without the crowd screaming. He had a silky sound - almost seductive with the way his ora...no, _red _eyes which bounced up and down at her figure. If a goat could growl, Eigar looked ready to and it made Elizabeta think about leaving.

"I'm sorry, but I better be going." She said quickly, backing up without looking the man straight in the eye.

He quickly grabbed her wrist. "Why are you in a rush, princess?" He sounded sad, but irritated too.

"I really must be going..." She whispered. She tugged in vain at the iron-hard grip on her wrist.

The Romanian grinned, revealing his one - now two- fangs, and hissed with interest.

It took Elizabeta a moment to recall the story she told Lilli once about sorcerers and witches who used magic on royalty and transformed them into animals. Most had an unattractive face, but it was always the fangs which kept them apart from the regular beings. She let out a gasp as the puzzles formed in her thoughts. "Impossible."

"I don't think it's impossible for a sorcerer to exist, m'lady. All I ask is if you reveal your love to me, we can live happily with riches you can never imagine. Your father will be fine and the goat will continue to live - even if he does make nice chops." He made a face at Eigar with a loud slurping sound.

"But I'm not a princess." She muttered her defense.

The sorcerer chuckled. "Your life was a lie, dear. I could provide you with something better."

"No." She said, tugging at her wrist.

"No?" He pouted mockingly. "It's rude to defy. I'll give you one more chance for rich-"

"NO! Let go of me! I do not trust users of black magic. I prefer-" She dropped to the floor coughing and wheezing.

His red eyes darkened to a shade of blood. "Very well. I guess I'll play the bad guy if you insist."

A green mist swirled around Elizabeta as she regained her breathing and speechlessly stared at the prison she was being enveloped in. She tried to move, but her body was paralyzed and she couldn't scream out or send out another word. Instead, she gritted her teeth at the man.

"So you heard stories of princes and princess turning into frogs. I'll just add my own twist to the story."

Elizabeta managed to let out a scream until everything blacked out.

...

She woke up groaning with her arms scratched out from fainting. Everything looked normal but the background scenery had changed. She found herself in a barn surrounded by horses carelessly grazing on the diet of dried straw.

Something felt awkward as her chest felt broader and without anything in front. Her ringlets of light brown hair hardly fell short of the end of her shoulders where the ends felt coarse. Larger hands and arms became part of her too. Something was wrong - obviously. She looked up and saw Lilli out in the opening of the barn, and the worst part?

She had pants on, but no shirt.

"Lilli?" She said, but flinched at how deeper her voice had gotten.

Everything soaked in, but it was already took late as a gun was cocked at her forehead.

_L-Lilli?!_

"Stay away from me! My father said to never trust boys."


	5. Chapter 5

**Slower update, but I blame having to deal with my social life. Hopefully the quick shift didn't bother anyone. Thank you for all the love so far so here we go with more chapters. I'm sorry if I make a gender typo since now Hungary's a male so hopefully I will not be confusing anyone.  
**

**Quick question: If a nation turned into a girl(not a natural nyo!nation) and fell in love with a normal male nation, would it make it yaoi or hetero?  
**

* * *

44 Nights in Bliss

Elizabeta began to panic as his heart started to thump faster until the beating in his chest ticked within hearing distance. He glanced the direction Lilli did and noticed the maid dress he originally wore before everything led to this moment. The fabric had ripped - obviously his chest was too broad it decided not to fit him, but it was only the info he held and could use to explain everything. As much as Basch appeared as a fellow-man, the rumors were never mistaken for his skill in arms.

He cursed her bad luck and curiosity which led him into this mess. How was he going to explain to a young girl about a half-naked young adult man living in the barn? e couldn't say, 'Oh, Lilli! It's really me: The one who read you stories.' It screamed the wrong sorts of things. Gil had told him about the superstition of city people once. Now, he was greatly relieved to had remembered the tips he warned him about before he left the farm.

He took a deep breath and breathed out calmly, "Lilli, please don't call your father over here. I can explain." Mental smack to his own forehead.

The blonde girl trembled with unimaginable fear as she slowly backed out. "G-Go away! Who are you? How do you know my name?"

"Lilli," He said her name again. His green eyes flashed with assurance and familiarity. "It's me, Elizabeta. I was transformed into a man."

Lilli already shook her head and ran off from the barn.

The woman-turned-man clenched his fists as his fingers dug into the dirty fabric of a silky green. He was relieved he at least wore pants or else the situation would have gotten a lot more awkward. Instinct warned him to get out of there and he made no hesitation to walk out with his former outfit and dashed away from the manor before it got ugly.

He turned around once and saw the family chatting while the girl panicked; her father comforted her. Elizabeta smiled and although he would be away longer than intended, he would return humbly to receive punishment. Until then, he needed to find another sorcerer to break the curse.

The thought made him ponder for a moment when he reached a safe zone. He needed a new identity as Elizabeta was a feminine name many knew from his past life. The test came upon him swiftly-

"Hey you!" A man shouted from behind him. He sounded like he was snickering. "Why are you wearing tights?"

Elizabeta blushed, forgetting men would think differently about his current attire. "Well, it's a long story." He froze; he finally took notice at how deep his voice truly was, yet it rang with familiarity of his higher-pitched sound without the high pitch, but more of a low bass.

The man approached him and gave a hard pat on the back. He wore peasant clothing, but he looked cleaned and friendly from first impressions. "I can lend you some clothes. The pass-me-downs were close to being tossed away. Besides, you'll never hear the end of it if you pretend to be a cross-dresser. Leave that to Feliks!"  
He lowered his tools and marched into his own home nearby and offered a pile of clothes to the younger man.

"Uh, thanks." He muttered. "I owe you for the generosity. Is there a private place to change?"

The peasant laughed. "It's no big deal, sir. You can go change in the empty stall nearby. Your face is as red as a tomato from the looks of it!"

Elizabeta nodded nervously and went to change into the green tunic and brown pants. He returned looking stylish and glanced everywhere to see how he looked. He almost beamed he didn't have to put on a dress, but he had to remember to not earn any suspicion from anyone. The last thing he needed was to be known a witch or one of those people who cross-dress.

"You look nice, sir." The man praised. "Anyway, my name is Tobias."

"I'm..." Elizabeta hesitated for a second. "El...i. My name is Eli."

"Eli! Now that is a fancy name. Well, Eli. You look new to these parts considering I never met you before, so if you ever need help just ask for help."

"Thank you, Tobias." Eli whispered and walked off into the city.

...

Eli felt awkward walking through the city where he lived most his life. He was comfortable to people saying his name when he often went on the streets to fetch groceries or errands for Basch. Instead, he noticed how people stared at him. He earned the newcomer title from the hushed whispers of the city folks he passed by. He was glad he had put his short brown hair into a ponytail which hung over to the left of his shoulder. The women were giggling his way and he felt his cheeks warm up with its light pink dye.

He shook the thought out. He couldn't stick around with the women no matter how his interests been arranged. It already chilled him thinking of settling down at his age and if he ever returned to being Elizabeta, he couldn't live the life of a farmer's wife. He had to break the curse, though. Yes, he would focus on returning to normal and review everything.

The morning craze had left him starving and his stomach reminded him he needed energy. He groaned and realized he left many of his belongings back at the manor. Another groaned escaped him just debating if he should do the immoral move or welcome the wish to go to a happy place once he died. His teachings won him over for the moment as he turned away from the vendors and wandered further towards the noble quarters.

Something familiar struck him as it metaphorically crawled up his neck and poked him consistently until he spun around. He saw nobody around except himself and the wind gusts through the cracks of the open sky. A small memory echoed in the back of his brain and he frowned at the mud puddle disappearing all those years ago.

He couldn't put a finger on what was giving him conflicting feelings and the remnants of his feminine hormones screamed at the alteration. It quieted down as a German voice rang in the distance.

"Hey you! Yes you! Get over here." The voice ordered.

Reluctantly, Eli obeyed and went towards the direction the voice spoke from until he looked up towards a tall man with blonde hair and icy blue eyes which peered down at the shorter man. He barely shared his emotions and he kept a pursed frown on his lips as he looked over his shoulder and narrowed his brows until his broad shoulders slacked.

"I'd be careful where you stray, sir." The German scolded Eli. "The noblemen are not so kind to us."

"I'm sorry." Eli answered apologetically. "I'm new to these parts."

"Well," He muttered, debating whether he was lying or not. "If you're new as you say, a safer way to tour this place is to stick around with us men."

The man gestured towards the various men nearby. They carried abundances of food and placed them into the cart which a donkey pulled as they gave a pat on the animal's flank to get moving. Eli leaned to the side to watch the men work and noticed the variety of their ethnics due to the dual monarchy. He could easy spot some of the main groups, but they all spoke a main language so he guessed by their accents. The German gave a pat on the Hungarian's back to wake from from his interested trance.

"If you haven't guessed by now, we're laborers for a particular manor for the Edelsteins. Some of us are working to become a vassal, but they're hard ones to please. If you're lucky, some will take you in as a house servant though they usually pick on the women and children." He looked longingly at the kingdom south of where they conversed. "I'm just lucky I made it this far."

Eli tilted his head. "How did you manage to make it to Austria?"

The man gave a grim smile. "It wasn't easy. Some of us made caravans, but only half of us managed to live. A few wanted a new home; new life. I... I just wanted to find my long-lost brother."

"You must really love him." He said and thought about his own father whom he cannot see.

"I do. I only met him once when he came over, but he taught me I could always learn to make friends." The taller man sighed. "I get acquainted with a manor, but they kick me out once I'm useless. I'm hoping I could stick around for _her_."

"Her? Did you meet a girl?" Eli held in the breath which could release a high-pitched squeal.

"Heh. It's not easy." He turned away blushing, before he looked back and whispered, "It's a long story."

Eli nodded as the blonde man placed a large sack of grain into the cart.

"I'm sure you can find your way into the Edelsteins. You look like you could come in handy."

He wasn't sure if the offer was sarcastic or not because he checked his scrawny arms once and hated himself instantly. Before he could answer, the German man winked and sent his donkey forwards towards the Edelstein manor.

"I hope Ludwig was not being hard on you, sir." Another man said stepping next to Eli. "He could be a handful when he's out here in the city."

"No, he was friendly." Eli replied honestly. "He really was."

"Hmm, interesting." He said, pushing the glasses upwards on the bridge of his nose. "It's not often I visit the city, but sometimes I'm looking for something."

"Like what?" Eli turned away. "If you don't mind telling me, sir."

Abnormal violet eyes flashed. "A girl in particular, but it's nothing really. I better be heading back." He turned towards the south and left with a casual hand-wave.

He wondered what the life of a laborer was like. He hoped it was similar to his old job as a maid, minus the little girl and the man, but he needed some fresh air and answers.


	6. Chapter 6

**I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss~ I'm tempted to add a one-sided GerIta to the mix, but we'll see :)  
**

**I may be a lot slower or not update at all during November for a writing contest so I'm sorry for inconvenience.  
**

**R&R?**

44 Nights in Bliss

Ludwig wasn't sure who the brunette man was, but many quirks about him were almost... _feminine_. He was familiar with the circus caravan where the star of the show was a Polish cross-dresser named Feliks and it was the thought which instantly came up in his mind. Feliks naturally loved dresses and make-up and all sorts of things the men would shudder at the mental thought doing or even holding those peculiar ideas.

The close-up of him was revealed as all masculine: broad shoulders, and average hips not too wide. His head shape wasn't soft and gently pointed, but it was more squared. He was definitely a man, but the graceful movement and polite manners threw him off. The other men hardly noticed, but his retort of them never observing resulted in him being nick-named a stalker. He huffed; the name was insulting to anyone.

His face turned red from the raging moment inside his head and it quickly subsided as he relaxed and very much on time when an Edelstein boy wandered by. Often, the nobleboys were too new to the concept of aristocracy, they always sneered at the servants and taunted them. This boy always managed to make Ludwig chuckle with his enthusiasm and defiance against the master of the manor.

The boy turned, his long, beach-blonde braids flung across his shoulders and his purple eyes filled with imagination. He gave a smirk and trotted off without making one attempt to mess with the men harvesting crops.

"He's a nice boy, isn't he?" A high-pitched murmured.

Ludwig rotated his neck, and he noticed a maid looking towards the young Edelstein boy. Her caramel eyes turned towards the German, and she whipped the side of her auburn hair from her face. The expression of serenity turned to fear.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you going outside." Ludwig promised after he read her mind.

The maid nodded and sped into the mansion after she took her oxygen and a fresh natural breeze into the mansion.

Ludwig knelt against the dirt and felt the sweaty heat affect him dearly. He wished for a better job, but reality sucked. He continued to work as sweat formed all over his scalp. He wiped off the trailing salt water with his clean elbows, but it didn't help him with the sanitation of the muddied hands and feet. He lifted his head and noticed the others working with the animals - lucky for him, agriculture had a lesser chance of getting kicked by an angry animal - though the repetition of his work; he longed for the caring of animals.

An hour later, he bucked the hay bales onto the truck while the breeze slowly won over the humid weather. On the last of the heavy lifting, he nearly fell forward from exhaustion, but something saved him from embarrassment and possibly injury. He looked towards the minor scratches from the tips of the straws, but shrugged it off to gape at the same feminine man from earlier.

The man cocked his head innocently, but he saw the face he made at a job he would be working on.

"Is this what a servant does?" He asked sourly.

"Ah, no. An actual servant lives inside the house doing Gott knows what. We're serfs." The German replied, not enjoying the taste of 'serf' rolling off his tongue.

"What is a serf?"

_Doesn't he know anything? _"A serf is a man who works for the lord or master of the manor. We do not have land of our own since we do not have any families."

Eli made an o shape with his mouth and he nodded nervously.

"Relax. If you're going to stick around with us, might as well talk to Lord Edelstein."

Eli rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically as he pointed towards the boy with the long braids. "I guess he's not a lord, is he?" He said sarcastically.

"Hey, be nice to him." Ludwig scolded. "He's actually a good kid."

He looked guilty for a moment, but swayed his neck around to find the lord.

"He isn't here, but you can keep waiting." Ludwig said and continued working.

...

Eli didn't like how he was naive to a feudal life where he happened to end up outside the city. It became all confusing to him, but he eagerly took up the offer for a job so he could provide for himself and his aging father. The man he passed by before heading to the manor looked awfully familiar to him, but he couldn't put a finger on why. He assumed he was one of the nobles by the way he looked, but he appeared restless. He went to the manor before the noble joined him and found the carriage when the miles stretched.

Another boy with the same beautiful, violet shades belonged to a boy who he mistakenly saw him as a girl greeted him at the embarrassing episode was over and a familiar blonde man caught his interest as he followed the young boy who moved on ahead when he halted, and then continued on. The timing was perfect when Ludwig looked weary from holding a massive rectangle of straw as he rushed over to help out.

"Is this what a servant does?" He asked, a sour tone etched in his voice. He wasn't pleased by a job involving this type of work.

Ludwig explained the feudal system in better detail while he mentioned his own silly question about serfs. He needed the job, but his own heart raced thinking about the man who sent him to his nightmarish world in the first place. He gritted his teeth when the only solution to sign up came from the good German man who helped him as much as he could. The younger Austrian boy didn't have the power to grant him his wish and obviously a "wanted" poster didn't exist during the time period.

He thought for a moment, and gave in with a sigh. "Very well. Can I watch just in case I'm assigned to farmwork?"

He realized he was talking to a Bulgarian man who smiled slightly towards the Hungarian.

"Yes, you can wait here." He said holding a squealing pig.

Eli eyed the pig with interest. "He doesn't sound like he's having any fun."

The man shrugged. "He isn't. Life probably sucks for him being in the arms of an amateur pig caretaker."

"Kindred spirit." Eli muttered and figured squealing and squirming would do him good in spite of being a human.

Eli rested against the side of the barn and watched the sky burn into a navy-blue hue and the flock of birds flew south for the night. He wasn't sure how the lord would make an entrance and he didn't have a place to sleep without a possible "illegal" attempt to hide in Ludwig's small shack. A small wave of heart burned his cheeks as his past self's instinct pulled him closer to the feeling of being around other boys. He shook the thought out and another piece of Elizabeta.

Some more time passed and he immediately fell to sleep lying against the corner of the barn, snoring and his mouth gurgling from the spit. Something shook him and he got to his knees in a small panic only to notice Ludwig glaring at him. He expected the man to hide a snicker, but his icy blue eyes held not much humor within them. He helped Eli up and shook his head.

"Mein Gott." He swore. " Thank goodness you weren't Lovino or Mr. Roderich would be flipping crap."

Eli rubbed his eyes, still groggy, but he blinked to see a clearer view of a disappointed man. "I'm sorry." He said, yawning loudly.

"You missed Lord Edelstein, but he managed to give you a try for tomorrow thanks to me. We have a shack open too for the night since it's best to start early. I'll wake you up when the time calls for it." He smiled at her, but it wasn't friendly nor aggressive. "Try not to pull a Lovino - he's a lazy arse who never did anything."

Eli nodded, comprehending everything and looked grateful.

...

Morning came, but the sky was still dark and gloomy as it usually was at dawn. Fortunately, light peered through as orange beams when the sun itself looked over the mount peaks to see what was going on with the Earth. It waited until Eli managed to get out of bed after a rough alarm from Ludwig.

He groaned and yawned, stretching before removing himself from the bed. He still had to adjust to his body differences when he often cursed in Hungarian when he couldn't find a bra, but realized his chest was flat. His boxes were the only thing on him until he dressed into the outfit Tobias gave him and wiped the dirt off the tunic. He stared at his new figure for a moment and slowly accepted it was another day until the curse was lifted.

He poked through the shack and saw Ludwig out with a barn full of horses. His heart skipped a beat seeing the beautiful beasts whom he hadn't seen in years. He approached the German and the stable while all of them turned his face even for a swift second. He walked up towards a white horse with a delicate face and rubbed its nose while it nickered at Eli.

Ludwig turned his gaze upon Eli, but his expression remained neutral. "I know it's probably hard for you to join the rest of us. Besides, it's better you don't become a serf."

"But-"

"No but's." He said, rubbing the forehead of a pretty bay horse. "How about you act as a stablehand? They care for horses and some of them seemed to have taken a liking to you. Have you ever worked with them before?"

Eli's face lit up. "Yes! I love horses. My father and I owned one before until we moved to the city."

"Very well. You can work with them." Ludwig said, and handed Eli a shovel. "Your first task is to keep up some horse droppings."

...

Eli worked on leading all ten horses out into the pasture while he cleaned up each stall. He muttered about the smell, but it made him reminisce about the old bay mare he and his father had. It always reminded him of Gil who taught him how to ride. The memory returned: He was a _she_. The thought made him chuckle thinking about marriage to the Prussian. He was a guy and most men preferred women.

When the droppings had been removed, and the bedding replaced with a fresh batch, he turned towards the pasture. He noticed a man in purple approaching the white stallion he met earlier in the morning. The other horses crowded around him, their ears perked and shuffling for food. The nobleman affectionately cared for every one of the horses, and he hardly noticed Eli coming closer to lead the horses back to the stalls.

"Don't bother, familiar man." The Austrian rumbled with a familiar tone. He turned his face with the glare from his glasses blocking his eyes. "They can stay out and I can put them away."

Eli's eyes widened, but he nodded silently. "Okay, sir."

The man gave a neutral smile. "The workers are getting ready for dinner. You should clean up so you do not stink up the house."

"Okay, sir." Eli said in a monotone.

"Is that the only thing you can say?" He said, cracking a genuine smile.

"No, sir." He muttered, and walked towards the shack. "I can always say more."

...

Eli sat in the large, filthy bowl of water. He rested his arms around the rims and looked around, nodding his head idly. He scrubbed down and cleaned the dirt off his skin until it turned pink. He cleaned under his shorter nails out of habit, and got out, grabbing a towel to wrap his lower body with. His face turned a deep shade of red as he saw one of the house servants watching him innocently.

It was a teenager with short auburn hair and a strange curl on the side of her head. She had a delicate, smooth face and an adorable look. She looked away timidly, but said nothing.

"Sorry, did I take too long?" He asked.

The servant shook her head and looked away, running out of the room.

"Wait!" Eli called out, his arm outstretched. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

He gave up, moving only a few steps and frowned. He didn't mean to frighten her, but he could tell he was a male in a towel so it must've embarrassed her. He turned away and gotten ready in his regular outfit. It was damp from being cleaned by someone else and he liked how all the light patches of mud escaped the fabric. His hair was long and wild before he placed it into a ponytail and left it to bounce on the side of his shoulder.

He left his shelter and gawked at the immense size of the castle, slowly entering it after the gates opened and caught up with Ludwig and the others. He waved brightly at them, but they only smiled softly before a frown returned as Lord Edelstein left the estate and focused his dark eyes upon Eli.

"So this is the new stablehand?" He asked. Nods confirmed it and he sighed. "Very well. He can join us for dinner." He huffed and went back into his home, guards in tow.

Eli snorted at his presence, but the other men hushed him before the Lord could hear his disgust. He turned around and breathed, letting the redness from his face fade into calmness. He mouthed an apology and then faced the others, noticing the house servants lining up first. The first one he noticed was a servant with auburn hair and green eyes, but he knew it wasn't the timid one. It was also blatantly obvious his face held a scowl, poking at the girl he saw early.

"Is he...?"

"Yes, Lovino's not a kind one." Ludwig stated. "It's sad when he picks on Felicia, but she is the reason he is still here and they're not separated."

"Oh..." Eli mumbled sadly. He felt a hand land on his shoulder. "Hm?"

"Felicia's a strong woman. I was hoping to woo her once she was older, but I have to keep waiting." He said nervously and blushing.

Eli smiled warmly. "You should sometime. You're nice enough to win her heart."

Ludwig nodded, but turned away, sighing in relief.

* * *

**Cinderella by Tata Young is a good theme song for fem! Hungary.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I would love you forever if someone started or linked me to a good ongoing Hetalia/Heavy Rain story. It's my new fandom, but Hetalia still is too. My internet has been acting really bad lately and when I was working on this, I lost half of the progress for the new chapter so I'm sorry if it seems all wonky from rewriting it. Fortunately I still remember it, but I intended to stop early before I nap. Remember kids: SAVE YOUR WORK!  
**

44 Nights in Bliss

Eli didn't expect the dining to go well. He happened to see worse as it surged through his thoughts, but Ludwig was there to keep an eye on things. He was grateful for that as well as keeping him in check. The arrays of decorations signified nobility and it made the farmer's son grit his teeth. He reminded himself of his fortunate life though where the laborers actually had some chances of eating and kept meat on their bones. The food he ate was fairly decent, and hunger hardly gnawed at his stomach.

He wondered where the food came from. It was answered when he wandered through the hallway and the smell of food was intoxicating. He reached the end where a small exit door was made for the kitchen staff on the job. He hardly regretted sticking his head into the small crack left open and sniffed the air. It was then, he realized the food was the crops harvested by certain farmers who worked on the field since dawn. It was what he heard, but when he woke, a part of the field was picked of its juiciest batch.

The thought of working made his stomach involuntarily growl when it usually did after some time after working. He grew hungry and it wasn't often he would see it as good as the one in the manor. However, he remembered the piece of the farm's earliest memories with his father well and his friend who played with him every day. Tears nearly flooded his eyes with the sad departing thoughts. It made him wonder how his father was doing without his daughter around. Lilli was probably traumatized by the stranger who looked like the one who worked in Basch's home but with the flat chest and other sorts of things. He felt guilty for leaving without a trace.

He left when the cooks recognized the crack in the door and Eli moved away where he walked further to see the shy house maid whom he saw earlier literally laughing and smiling, dimples shown with the familiar blonde man. He originally intended to ask Ludwig a few questions, but the couple made him relax and leaned against the corner of the wall with appreciation. Who knew Ludwig who had a tough exterior had a soft interior within. Eli liked him too much to betray that trust. He left them alone and moved away towards the outside.

It wasn't long until he was distracted once again by the sound of yelling and crying. At the sound of the source stood two of the Edelstein noblemen Eli saw before. The blonde one with the long braids held up one of his fingers towards the older brunette who looked agitated while he opened and closed his mouth. He was about to let it slide, knowing it was merely bickering like he and Gil had done, but tears looked ready to spill. He didn't know why, but he marched in.

Both boys turned their confused gazes upon the intruder, but they said nothing as Eli knelt down, facing the blonde teen and pulled out a clean cloth.

"Paper cut? Here. Let me bandage it." Eli said as he wrapped the cloth around the minor cut.

The blood stopped oozing out which left a small red stain, but the boy looked grateful. Before he dismissed himself, he made a face at his brother before he fled the scene and left two men alone.

"Idiot..." The older man muttered, and sighed. His head raised itself and his amethyst eyes looked at Eli with amusement. "I guess you can say more than a few words."

"Yes, sir."

The reaction was the nobleman chuckling. "I never knew a man before who mended minor cuts. Are you becoming a doctor or you're doing something with equestrians?"

Eli nearly opened his mouth to ask what an equestrian was, but clamped it shut before his eyes wandered, thinking of something to say back. He eventually thought of something. "No, sir. I've been around a friend who usually get himself hurt being the dope he is."

"Ah." He nodded with comprehension. "My brother can be a reckless one. Don't mind us when we're arguing. He's naturally emotional because he considers it to be art."

"I see."

The nobleman's face hardened with seriousness. "So, tell me. What brings you to these dreaded parts of Austria-Hungary?"

Something in the back of his mind warned him not to directly tell the truth. "You see..." He began. "I moved here with my father to the city. I decided to get work here so we can afford to eat."

"Where is your father?"

He hesitated. "He's gone. The illness had struck and it got to him."

The nobleman frowned and his face showed sympathy. "I'm sorry about that. I'm sure the other men working make you feel at home?"

"Not a problem." He felt relieved to be honest there. "Ludwig really knows how to help."

The nobleman smiled sincerely, and he turned his gaze away for a moment. "You know. You remind me of a girl I once knew."

Eli froze. "I-I do?"

"Yes. It's a funny story really. She's Hungarian, she has brown hair and green eyes, but to top it off, her name starts with Eli."

"What a coincidence. It's probably a common thing in Hungary." Eli trailed off for a moment. "I haven't been in Hungary in years though."

The nobleman chuckled. "It's probably just a coincidence." He stopped laughing and sighed deeply. "I wonder where she is. I heard from peasants she was kidnapped by this evil sorcerer. I hope they're not referring to Arthur though. He would never hurt a soul."

The idea of another sorcerer made Eli feel queasy, but when it turns out he may be good, he strained to hear more. He didn't want to ask in fear of raising suspicion. The last thing he needed was to be convicted of sorcery or have Roderich find out about his true identity. Shock reared in his mind. Did he just refer to the man as Roderich? The resemblance was uncanny. The same dark brunette hair, pale skin and the violet eyes which deepened to a dark shade when he's focused or angry. He nearly trembled in front of Roderich at the thought he was meeting the noble boy years later.

It was an awkward meeting and he felt dizzy. He took a few steps backward involuntarily which took Roderich by surprise. Oh dear, he hoped he wasn't blushing like the woman within him wanted to do. He backed away and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Roderich. I need a moment." The voice came out almost feminine and he knew he had to jet.

The run was fast and he felt free and fearless. It was a long distance he traveled before he gave in to the aching legs and the fire burning in his lungs. He turned around and nobody followed him. He knew he was going to regret the moment later when he returned boy or girl. If Roderich was correct about another magician, he had to go find this Arthur and see how to reverse the spell.

...

"Why aren't any of my bloody spells working?"

Vials and liquids collided with the floor and the clash of glass made a loud noise. Obviously. The crash could've woken anyone very easily, but if he had any neighbors would he be hearing from them.

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter. It should be better soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the late update. I had some writer's block and the game, The Witch's House, entranced me in a new, temporary obsession. On the bright side, I have the rest of the parts planned out, but it's all just the matter of writing it..**

44 Nights in Bliss

Eli traveled into the nearest town. He was clean, but only a part of his pants were still filthy. It didn't matter much as the brown linen helped the darker patches blend in. After he explored a nearby pond to fix his pony and remove some of the mud off himself, he slipped into town and prayed nobody knew who he was. He wasn't sure on how many times the laborers were let into the freshness of the busy streets, nor are they allowed in without supervision. It made him slightly cautious when he stumbled into town before with only a goat. The other irritation which was apparent on his face was the only moment he enjoyed himself temporarily in the manor before he had to run for it again in front of another noble.

He held a form look and his lips were pursed. His eyes darted around both sides of the dirt pathways. So far, nobody seemed to notice him let alone paid attention to him. Everything went smoothly once more as he released his tension and felt like a speck of dust in the world. It was the one thing he wished to be currently with the whole tension of the life he lived in.

Something stirred within him. A small piece of land - where the mud puddle developed - laid before him. If he was still little Elizabeta, he would play in its muddy depths. The temptation swerved in both ways, but he slowly recalled the memory of his meeting with Roderich. It was enough to send him away from the land and towards the other side of the road.

_He would ask Elizabeta._ Eli remembered. _He would wonder if he is her._

The thought of Roderich made him agitated for leaving on the spot. He eventually recovered his senses as he trudged was a city he grew up in and he had mixed feelings about the town. He never did learn to read in the city which deemed him illiterate. He felt embarrassed when he remembered Basch asking him, but _Elizabeta _shook her head trying to comprehend the letters. She learned some, he forgot them all. He didn't have the motivation to remind himself of the symbols. His father, after all, had a heart attack and he only worked to pay for the hospital fees.

He quietly debated to himself about his intentions in the city until his own mouth gaped. His emotions spilled all over as he incredulously recognized the tips of silver hair in the mass crowd. He squinted to zoom in, but the face, although broad and more adult-like, was the face of Gilbert. Gil's eyes were the same ruby red and skin just as pale. He looked confused and angry by the way his face scrunched up. Eli wondered if he was the same boy he knew years ago. He couldn't automatically embrace his old friend, though. Gil expected a brunette female.

He knew he was getting sidetracked, but he was in a rush to change back. The extra time made himself feel like his own boss. He was pleased with himself as he "accidentally" bumped into Gil. It was something the both of them did as an act of teasing or punishment for an embarrassing moment.

"Watch it!" Gil snapped. He blinked at the resemblance, but he continued to seethe. "Nobody runs into the awesome Gilbert!"

Eli didn't comprehend the "awesome" part as part of his vocab, but he heart leaped enough his true self wanted to tell Gil everything. He refrained from doing or saying anything which could easy jeopardize the secret. His friend was naturally suspicious of the supernatural so it could risk death if taken the wrong way.

Gil eyed Eli when he didn't get a reply. "Fine, I'll let you off this once by the awesome me."

Gil mumbled and prepared to storm back into the crowd. Eli knew it was definitely his old friend who claimed to be amazing and strong. It was rare for others to have similar names either so it added to the evidence. Ignoring his backside, he lifted his eyes and wondered if Gil knew about his own father. He had to try.

"Do you know a girl named Elizabeta?" Eli called out.

Gil froze and he slowly turned around, his face in genuine shock. "What do you know about her? They all said she was murdered by a city fool."

Eli hesitated in replying. Did he really believe that? "I'm sorry for your loss if you knew her."

"Of course I knew her." He muttered. "Why do you ask about her?"

"I just wanted..." He quickly thought up an excuse. "...to see how her father is doing."

"Oh." Gilbert looked surprised, assuming he thought the brunette wanted to pay respects to his friend. He allowed a gust of air to leave his lips. "He's alive. He's too stubborn to die yet and he wants to see his daughter once more. I would go visit him but..." He trailed for the moment, and guilt shrouded his face. "He will ask about Elizabeta."

"It would be hard to lie to him about it or to avoid the subject." Eli guessed. He noticed how the albino nodded his head. "I can go check up on him myself."

"Well, I guess that will be alright." Gil returned to looking suspicious, but he shrugged, his eyes darted towards the mass. "It looks like I can get through the city without a lot of traffic. I guess I'll see you, mister - whatever your name is."

Before Eli could reply, Gil was back in the crowd and the silver tips of his hair stood out among the various shades of hair. He chuckled to himself how Gil had always moved ahead and he could never hold still while he went out exploring. He missed the man, but he hoped to make a good reunion to make amends for not letting him on the secret.

The thought nearly made him blush wondering if the jokes about him and Gil getting together was meant to be reality or the idea of the friendship level could lead to more. He admitted, he liked Gilbert, but he wasn't so sure on his romantic interests. Roderich was interesting, but nobles and peasants were never meant to get together. Instead of thinking further, he moved towards the care home after he had to ask a stranger where the care homes were. The man blinked at Eli for a moment before he shrugged on the 'care home' part, but claimed there were some places some patients were to after recovering slightly in the hospital.

He trudged towards a care home where he went inside and looked in the long hallways of many rooms. It wasn't long while some workers gave uneasy glances he made his way towards a room where a woman left it and talked about a farmer. Eli strained to listen in without giving himself away. He prayed it was about his own father, but also a little fearful of the current mood.

"Is he okay?"

"Yes, he's stubborn, but he'll manage to live a little longer."

"It's a shame he hadn't seen his daughter in a long time."

"Elizabeta Héderváry? Yes, she was a good kid. It's those blasted sorcerers which get the good people."

Eli moved out of the way and looked around casually without making eye contact. His green eyes were still the same ones people were familiar with which could easily give him a dead giveaway if some had sharp visions of people's faces. He reached out to rub the broader chin without much of a pointed edge and his eyes widened when he felt a small wisp of hair. Was he growing a beard or something? He shook the unbelievable truth and denied it before he knocked on the door to Farmer Héderváry's room.

He walked in and noticed the older man on his bed, his eyes drooped sadly and without hope when it turned towards the door and saw someone else instead. It tugged at Eli's heart strings when he saw the depths of disappointment in his father's eyes.

"Sir?" He said softly.

"No, doctor. I do not need anymore medication." The farmer rasped.

"Dad..dy... It's me." He was surprised by the usage of the old word he used as a toddler. It brought some light into the man's eyes as the farmer turned towards his 'son.' "It's me... Eli...zabeta."

The look of relief spread across the farmer's face, but his milky eyes indicated he couldn't tell if it was really his daughter. He seemed pleased and emotion as tears spilled. "My little girl. I hear your beautiful voice."

Eli felt a part of his morph into a somewhat feminine shape and it took him moments to recognize the voice he used held the Hungarian accent of the Elizabeta he once was. She reached out to hold his trembling hand, and rested his cheek on the cold skin until it felt like forever. She allowed her own tears to spill, but all of the hormones she bore sharpened the feelings. Love, love for the father and it made her wonder if she broke the curse.

"No, love. You didn't break the curse."

The same sorcerer who cursed her perched on the edge of the suddenly opened up window to the room. His red eyes gleamed and his grin showed his fangs. He wore the outfit she last saw him in, and the cloned resentment sent her towards him. Yet, she wasn't a she anymore. Elizabeta was once more Eli, but it hardly concealed the rage on his face. The tears still spilled, but his emotions twisted and pulled at each other.

"It's a shame you haven't tried to learn how to break your curse." Vladimir taunted, casually and jumped down to eye his spell up and down. "No fun if you use it to your advantage though, but I'm certain you'll also be suffering for your foolishness in sheer magic. Silly peasants who believe in nothing, but the words stuffed into their mouths by the king. Did you know the princess needs a husband? Perhaps you can be that husband or I'll be happy to rule your pathetic empire. The Austrian throne needs a strong ruler."

Eli gritted his teeth and spat at the sorcerer's feet. "Monster."

"You obviously haven't learned. Of course, I'm not meant to play the good or neutral fellow in your little fairytale. Ah, yes. You read a story about the frog who tricks a princess into changing him back. Have you ever thought why he deserved to turn into a frog?"

"The witch had a cruel heart." He weakly defended.

"Ah. Dear, foolish Elizabeta. You'll never understand a magic user's intentions." Vladimir shook his head, and amusement crept upon his face as yells rattled from below. "It looks like my time is up. Good luck explaining yourself."

"No!" Eli reached out for the man, but he disappeared in a puff of black smoke. He coughed, covering his mouth with his elbow, and turned towards where his frozen father had laid. Wait. Where was he? He began to panic as he looked around, but the stealth wasn't enough. The cloud subsided to Eli's horror as the police grabbed him harshly by the shoulder and pulled him out.

...

"Where did you put Mr. Héderváry?!" One of the men demanded.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Liar!"

After much bruising, the cold slate of the floor felt nice and serene.


	9. Chapter 9

**Finals Finals Finals. And a filler.**

**In case I don't make it...Happy Holidays.**

44 Nights in Bliss

He could had sworn he was going insane.

As much as he trusted his daughter's judgement, some sort of guilt formed where his lungs tied the stream and knotted it. It was an uncomfortable feeling indeed, but it made it worse when it was a set deal. Whether or not the boy would be executed or jailed eternally rested in the Archduke's hands or the head of the police force. A noble was guarded by the Archduke of Austria so it almost made importance swell within him while he tried to keep his boastful personality underneath this current serious demeanor he bore.

Yet, the boy who held confusion in his eyes bore resemblance to the same girl who disappeared. It made him feel like an idiot for thinking Elizabeta looked like his wife, but he bit his lip remembering it all. The whole dramatic scene only surfaced halfway while the rest hid in the depths of the solid sea. He left it that way ever since the heir lost his father and his mother disappeared long ago. It was a miracle he stood strong until it was too late for anyone to know he would never be king.

The blonde man moved home after the boy placed no resistance just so he could push the burnt marks away where his conscious laid. He needed to see his daughter, but not to question her or to chastise. He just wanted to see she would be okay because it was the disappearance of the girl herself which nearly drove Lilli to hysteria.

"Fealty." He muttered an oath under his breath as he quietly slipped away - away from the staring faces and away from the scene. He did not know that man, but he felt he needed to mourn him. He pressed two fingers against his yellowish locks and wondered how it would feel under a blade. Something trembled within him as he remembered some of the cultures his wife shared with him outside the world he felt he only knew. One piece of his hair landed in his palm. He would mourn the farmer with a small poem, later.

His daughter wandered in with her eyes brightly lit and she wrapped her arms around him affectionately. He returned the hug, but tightened it as if she was being dragged away from him.

"You're hugging too tight!" She complained and he let go.

"I'm sorry, my dear." He murmured in German, caressing the soft hair of Lilli. "I'm sorry for many things." He added under his breath.

...

Roderich laid against the velvet couch with his chin tilted upwards and his vision upon the ceiling. Everything sounded so quiet in the house ever since Eli was ran off in such a rush. It made him knit his brows in confusion of why on Earth the boy would suddenly back away in fright. A high-pitched voice escaped from somewhere the same time Eli tried to stop speaking.

In all honesty, Eli was interesting company. It reminded him of the one ambitious girl he knew so many years ago. Years ago. It felt like only yesterday he had just learned her name yet it sometimes slipped his mind as if there was no such thing.

Elizabeta.

Oddly, he remembered her name in a way he never thought of. He thought through what made her so much different besides her tomboyish looks and personality. He only saw glimpses of her as a true woman only a few times but he never saw what she turned out to be besides the housemaid of the Zwingli family. The one time he wanted to go visit her: She disappeared. She had possibly died or was kidnapped by something monstrous.

Why did he remember her? Why did he worry?

She was a mere peasant they all told him. Even the young girl with the chestnut locks and eyes of hazel smiled at him and reminded him she was gone. It only added to the spacing out he performed and other ungentlemanly like habits he developed. Always his eyes diverted to the mud puddle which formed every so often after heavy rain sprayed the earth and caused a mess. The girl often asked him why he was so fascinated by the mud.

_Because it reminded me of her._

"I just follow the patterns which can help my mind stimulate with habits." He lamely excused.

"Ah, you can always tell me anything though." She said and trailed her fingers across his arm. "Right, Roderich?"

"Of course." He replied softly. "I guess it's just nostalgia."

"I bet the best nostalgia would be when we're finally married."

* * *

**Dun Dunn Dunnnn. Sorry for short chapter! I promise the next one will be longer.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Annndd, we're back on board! I'm sorry for author followers who are wondering why the flying crap I'm writing Hetalia over Zelda, but do not fear! I'm working on it slowly but surely. I hope people had a good Christmas and I'm so not looking forward to finishing finals a day before we're intended to return. Hmm, may this be the last update for 2012! I'm also psyched for season 5 and the art looks phenomenal. Let's see how promising it gets when the darn thing is aired.**

**Feed the hungry author some reviews! Heck, go ahead and say "Dot" if it makes you feel accomplished.**

44 Nights in Bliss

The whole cell was covered in a pitch black hue, but dim lights from the torches outside his own box revealed the small slate of the ground and the rustic look of the walls. It wasn't an eerie feeling, but it wasn't a comfortable one either. In the middle for those not out of their minds with a night phobia or anything which would cause them to end up in jail. Accidentally seeing a younger girl only a few years younger? Likely what most would assume at first, but not at its darkest degree. He had heard worse, much worse.

It was anything, but a winter breeze with its drafts through the small cracks of the wall. He only had his regular clothes on Tobias had given him days before, but they became all ratty and filthy from the treatment he receiver ever since his cursed encounter with the sorcerer. Did he have regret going to the show where the Vladimir revealed the most loveliest of tricks? He only regretted it a lot, but it was his female counterpart who would've found it hard to regret viewing it until the time she was cursed into what became him - Eli. Eli was once a wanted man, a servant to the Edelsteins and now a prisoner because of his silly decisions.

Eli shifted uncomfortably on the cold floor and loneliness caused his dread to enlarge. He couldn't hear any other breathing entities around, but his ears were never very well tuned for voices. He eavesdropped a few times as a child, but guess where it got him and his father. At the same time, it brought him to Roderich, but farther from Gilbert. Compromises were difficult to pull off in order to keep both around _if_ he managed to change back.

Some time passed as food was delivered and Eli attempted to prod gently at the food in poor conditions. It was on a plate at least, and he attempted to chew some of it until he suddenly heard some voices calling out. It was all drowned out when some of the prisoners who prowled in the darkness startled him when they leaped at the bars, gnawing distastefully at the soldiers and warden's presence. The loud growling came from them until the swords were unsheathed and pushed the prisoners back into the cell, but their lips still curled into a snarl.

He prayed he wouldn't turn savage from insanity after living in the dump for a little while longer. It was only for a few months he learned from the warden whose dimples showed when he smiled sincerely. He couldn't tell if it was mocking or kind, but he silently nodded towards him and Eli was left alone in the darkness. He still had a few more weeks to go, he could do this. He could -

'C'mon Eli.' He encouraged himself. 'You can do this!'

The place still gave him odd feelings and something with his body flickered from large hands to smaller ones. He knew enough about magic as he was under the influence of such, but this type of magic had its strange pricking sensation. He couldn't recognize what kind it was, but the smell from its after effects smelled of burnt food as if he was using it to cook a meal. Eli crawled on fours towards the bars and attempted to poke one part of his face through to see what his neighbor was doing. He could barely make out what was happening besides the green puffs of smoke appearing and then fading.

"Aww bollocks!" The neighbor cried out. "Why won't this thing work?!"

Eli barely met outsiders, but by the sound of his accent while it spoke in English, it sounded foreign yet familiar. He waited until the smoke smelling of bad food died down before he looked through again with a keen eye. The bars from the other side began to rattle with a sudden thought and a body rammed itself against the bars angrily.

"What are you staring at?" The man growled, trying to get a close-up of his eavesdropper. "I'm not here to play tricks for you animals."

Eli blinked, but he decided with his lessons to be courteous . "I'm sorry, sir." He began kindly. "I smelled something so I was wondering what was going on."

"Oh, put a sock in it! I small sorcery from all over your body without even seeing it. Keep your black magic away and we'll be on 'good' terms."

"But sir... I'm not sorcerer." Eli said, trying to regain his attention. "I've been cursed by one."

"Do do what? Steal while invisible, but your sorcerer buddy decided to turn you in?"

Eli shook his head, but remembered the man couldn't exactly see him. "No. Look, I was at this magic show where a man named Vladimir was showing off his tricks."

The man in the other cell seemed to have taken interest. "Go on."

"Afterwards, I was leaving and he came upon him and turned me into a man."

"Were you a puppet or a little boy?"

"No." Eli sighed. "I was a female."

Silent occurred between them until the man finally said. "What's your real name?"

"Elizabeta Héderváry."

"Ah, I'm Arthur. Arthur Kirkland."

Eli's eyebrows knitted at the lack of manners, but decided not to dot on it. "Are you a sorcerer, too?"

"Me? Oh goodness no! I'm a wizard." Arthur said exasperated.

"Aren't they the same thing?"

"No. Wizards are the good magic-users...so to speak. I used to work for the King until something told him to jail me for whatever reason."

"That's...horrible." Eli said in a tiny voice. He was surprised wizards even existed let alone for his Majesty!

"Yes, but I'll be able to leave soon. So, if you don't mind me asking, how did you get jailed."

Eli gulped, but the soldiers bellowed for everyone to sleep so he was safe from trying to explain it. Arthur heard his sigh, but said nothing as he muttered a goodnight and slept or so it appeared to be. The woman-turned-man himself just fell back into a deep slumber and thought of how a wizard could possibly help him revert to normal.

...

Eli found himself in the castle where the Duke and his wife were. They had a solemn look on their faces until Roderich magically appeared in the picture. He walked fearlessly into the throne room and mumbled something soft before royalty rejoiced at his words. A young girl walked out of the door in a green dress which matched her hard green eyes and she trailed gracefully down the stairs and towards Roderich himself. Eli's dream self nearly wanted to walk up and drag him away, but it was really Elizabeta who had the desire to create chaos.

(S)he watched the princess bow and do many things which made him yawn at the ritual, but Roderich knelt and kissed her hand. The girl looked up and Eli gasped at her appearance. She and his female counterpart had a similar appearance, but her face's shape had a different flair. Her light brown hair fell down in shorter locks, but it was all the same. It was either the clone or herself who wished for him.

Eli groaned when he woke up from the cheesy dream. He rarely had anything related to the throne room, but the place was exquisite in it's own way. It was laced in gold and red and the royal family dressed in a weird fashion, but still very well done for a special occasion. He moved the thought away of the vague dream and shivered to get the heat flowing through his body. Once he was satisfied enough to move, he crawled over and looked up at where Arthur could be. He rattled the bars and whispered his name. A hand slipped through the cell and gave a thumbs-up.

'So he was still okay.'

Arthur thumped back on the ground and slept like a baby. It was still dawn from the looks of the window, but it made Eli more restless than it should have. The last night had eased part of him which could've been in a worse mood as of lately, but it was nice to hear a voice which didn't sound like he was being treated like dirt. The feeling soothed him in a way enough he tried to fall back asleep, but the bell rang and the soldiers prodded him into a small yard. He groggily got to his feet and moved to the still fairly dark world where the walls blocked any chance of escape.

He sat on the dirt, ready to snore loudly until he heard Arthur's voice and the origin was a blonde man with the most unusual eyebrows being dragged by a black cape by two guards. He lost his stick and the man continued to sprout profanity all the which known seemed to care except for Eli. Once the guards left, Arthur huffed and draw on the dirt with his fingers. Eli approached closer and closer until he noticed the runes as well as the green eyes of the wizard locking with his own.

"You must be Héderváry." He muttered in a semi-friendly way.

Eli nodded. "Kirkland?"

Arthur cracked a smile and got to his feet. "Aye, it's me. It's nice seeing who we are than to be imagined as hallucinations."

"Agreed."

"You never told me how you got jailed." Arthur said, lowering his brows. "You seem too nice to be here."

"A girl's father was over protective against a man who hardly represented Elizabeta."

"Ah. Misunderstanding too." He mused.

"Misunderstanding?" Eli asked.

"It's nothing, missy." Arthur shrugged it off. "I suppose you want a way to change back to normal."

Eli nodded.

"I wish I could do it right away, but this black magic is strong. Stronger than I ever seen it manifest."

"Um, English?" Eli suggested dumbly.

"I am speaking English..." The blonde muttered. "Anyway, the only way to unlock it is by true love's kiss."

Eli nearly gagged. "W-What?"

"True. Love's. Kiss." Arthur repeated himself. "It's the only way, so once you're out of this place, just go get kissy-kissy with your boyfriend."

"I don't have a boyfriend." Eli muttered. "Besides, I doubt any one of them would date another man or if I change back, another woman."

"That's an easy one for you then." He said sarcastically. "I'm sure there are those out there who will look past your...manliness."

The guards told the prisoners to go back in, and Eli unconsciously did it. Did Vladimir place that one condition just to be silly? He couldn't tell though he was more flustered at the idea to be dating another man. The only one he would likely like would be Gilbert, but he hadn't seen him in so long it was nearly foreign. Roderich was a nice man, but he was a noble and Eli was a farmer's child. He had so many decisions and so little time if he was to court some man, but who would actually see past him and accept magic changed him from a female?

He went into the prison cell and both men hardly spoke for a little while. Eli guessed it was because he needed time to process this condition, but now, he was glad to be in the jail. It would give him some time to think up a plan and probably include more magic in the process. If Arthur decided to help out.


End file.
